Reviews

Be honest – you’ve always had a secret desire to stomp around in concrete shoes and fling Frisbees with wild abandon. Well, I’ve always wanted to, and now I have This Book Isn’t Safe to show me how.

Colin Furze, five-time Guinness World Record Holder and YouTube’s undisputed king of crazy inventions, instructs fans and curious young inventors on how to build ten brand new wacky inventions at home with an affordable tool kit.

Colin Furze’s bonkers and brilliant inventions such as a homemade hoverbike, DIY Wolverine Claws, an alarm clock ejector bed, and Hoover shoes have earned him 4.5 million YouTube subscribers and more than 450 million video views. Now Colin is on a mission to inspire a new generation of budding inventors with This Book Isn’t Safe!

This Book Isn’t Safe contains instructions on how to make ten brand new inventions with a basic at-home toolkit, alongside behind-the-scenes stories about some of Colin’s greatest inventions and top secret tips and tricks straight from his invention bunker (aka a shed in his backyard in Stamford Lincolnshire).

THIS BOOK ISN’T SAFE is more than a handbook. It’s a peek inside YouTube sensation Colin Furze’s invention bunker. It’s filled with information and tips about inventing, YouTubeing, and fun facts about Colin. Plus, it offers 10 do-it-yourself inventions that you can make at home with a fairly limited toolkit and a bit of adult supervision. And despite the title, they can all be done safely (again, with the above-mentioned adult supervision).

I would have loved this book as a kid. Heck, I kind of love it as an adult. Colin has an ability to make inventing things look totally do-able – and I trust this book will inspire a generation of young inventors – and let their parents and guardians have a little fun too.

For readers

A easy-to-read and engaging format.

Step-by-step directions with lots of pictures to help guide you.

Super cool inventions!!

For teachers and parents

Engaging content.

A great excuse to break out the tool box and get your hands dirty creating something with your favorite curious kid.

Super cool inventions!!

THIS BOOK ISN’T SAFE is available now. You can pick up a copy at your local bookstore or online at:

Fellow Class of 2k17 memberMcCall Hoyle’s debut novel, THE THING WITH FEATHERS, released earlier this month. This is YA at its best – and teachers and librarians are going to want more than one copy of this book on their shelves.

Emilie Day believes in playing it safe: she’s homeschooled, her best friend is her seizure dog, and she’s probably the only girl on the Outer Banks of North Carolina who can’t swim.

Then Emilie’s mom enrolls her in public school, and Emilie goes from studying at home in her pj’s to halls full of strangers. To make matters worse, Emilie is paired with starting point guard Chatham York for a major research project on Emily Dickinson. She should be ecstatic when Chatham shows interest, but she has a problem. She hasn’t told anyone about her epilepsy.

Emilie lives in fear her recently adjusted meds will fail and she’ll seize at school. Eventually, the worst happens, and she must decide whether towithdraw to safety or follow a dead poet’s advice and “dwell in possibility.”

THE THINGS WITH FEATHERS is a touching story and a compelling read. Teens will love it – but so will adults.

A beautiful book – full of hope. McCall Hoyle’s YA debut captures the fears and excitement of edging past what’s comfortable and safe – and learning to trust the people around you. The writing is lovely and the characters are perfectly drawn – likeable but flawed, and at all times, believable.

An orphaned boy in contemporary Senegal must decide between doing what is right and what is easy as he struggles to keep a promise he made to his dying father in this captivating debut novel laced with magical realism.

Eleven-year-old Mor was used to hearing his father’s voice, even if no one else could since his father’s death. It was comforting. It was also a reminder that Mor had made a promise to his father before he passed: keep your sisters safe. Keep the family together. But almost as soon as they are orphaned, that promise seems impossible to keep. With an aunt from the big city ready to separate him and his sisters as soon as she arrives, and a gang of boys from a nearby village wanting everything he has—including his spirit—Mor is tested in ways he never imagined.

With only the hot summer months to prove himself, Mor must face a choice. Does he listen to his father and keep his heart true, but risk breaking his promise through failure? Or is it easier to just join the Danka Boys, whom in all their maliciousness are at least loyal to their own?

One Shadow on the Wall is about love and loss, family and friendship, and creating your own future—even if it’s hard to do.

ONE SHADOW ON THE WALL is simply gorgeous in every way. I cannot wait to share it with everyone I know.

One of the best books I’ve read this year. Leah Henderson’s debut novel is simply captivating. A beautifully written tale of a young boy in Senegal who is determined to keep his family together – despite the very real dangers that come his way. Young Mor is faced with one tough decision after another, but with the help of his neighbors, his friends, and his family, Mor finds the will to not only survive, but to thrive. A gorgeous debut that is a must for every school and library collection.

I can’t remember the last time I read a book with this many bathroom jokes in it. Maybe never. Still, the ARC of Mark Maciejewski’s middle grade debut, I AM FARTACUS, had me laughing right out loud more than once.

I’m pretty sure classrooms full of kids are going to be cracking up in 2017.

Mark gives us an interesting character in his bald, anti-hero Chub. Bent on revenge against Alanmoore Middle School’s most popular boy, (yep, Alanmoore – and that’s not the only reference to The Watchmen which only adds to the fun) Chub and his cadre of mischief makers plan and prank their way toward justice. But sometimes it’s hard to tell where the good guy ends and the bad guy begins.

Fellow Class of 2k17 Books member Jennifer Park’s incredible YA debut, THE SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART, releases today and it is quite simply the book you did not know you have been waiting for all of your life.

Leah Roberts’s life has never been the same since her brother died ten years ago. Her mother won’t stop drinking, her father can’t let go of his bitter anger, and Leah herself has a secret she’s told no one: Sasquatch are real, and she’s been watching a trio of them in the woods behind her house for years.

Everything changes when Leah discovers that among the Sasquatch lives a teenager. This alluring, enigmatic boy has no memory of his past and can barely speak, but Leah can’t shake his magnetic pull. Gradually, Leah’s life entwines with his, providing her the escape from reality she never knew she needed.

But when Leah’s two worlds suddenly collide in a deadly showdown, she uncovers a shocking truth as big and extraordinary as the legends themselves, one that could change her life forever.

Jennifer handles this Tarzan retelling perfectly. She tells this story about love and loss beautifully – with just the right blend of heart and mystery.

THE SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART is one of my favorite all-time YA reads. I cannot wait to share it with everyone I know.

I loved every word of Jennifer Parks’s debut novel. The story is captivating from page one. Park plunges you into the East Texas woods until you feel like you’re part of the story and never want to leave. Great characters, a great setting, gorgeous writing and exactly the right amount of action/tension to keep you turning the pages. A haunting look at love, hope, and the lies we tell, this is a book I can’t wait to read again.

One of the things that’s been a little bit strange and a lot wonderful about getting to read books before they are published is getting to experience them before all the reviews (both the good and the bad) come out and try to shape your opinion. I got to read Ali Standish’s THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE late last year and I got to read it with the same clean slate I read books like Bridge to Terabithia and The Summer of the Swans when I was a kid. Which means I read it the same way I read books back then – straight through, sneaking in pages while I folded the laundry, waited in line at the post office, and even while I ate lunch (sometimes being a grown up pays off).

Ethan’s story is a deeply moving one. In THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE Ali Standish perfectly captures the time right after a life has changed irretrievably and just before it’s transformed into whatever is going to come next. Publisher’s Weekly gave it a well-deserved star for how it handles grief, guilt, and forgiveness. I’d say it’s a modern classic.

A beautiful of story of friendship, family, and loss, Ali Standish’s wonderful debut grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let me go until I saw Ethan through to the end. Strong characters, a spot-on setting, and great details bring the story to life. THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE is a soon-to-be classic. Readers of all ages will love this book, and teachers and librarians will be sharing it for a long time.

Which is why I was thrilled when Tiffany’s e-ARC ended up in my inbox. Just one of the many perks of being part of the super terrific debut group, Class of 2k17. Have I mentioned how lucky I am?

I read ALLEGEDLY over the course of a week – trying to make it last. It’s simply amazing. Dark and twisty and totally mind-bending. Thriller fans are going to eat this novel up – and people who don’t usually read thrillers are going to love the complex and heartbreaking character of Mary and the girls in her group home.

A stunning debut. Dark. Heartbreaking. Powerful. Mary is a wonderfully complex character. Her story will catch you by the throat and not let you go until you’ve read the entire novel – and she’ll stay with you long after you’ve finished. The author, Tiffany Jackson, paints a unflinching portrait of our juvenile justice system while telling a compelling story – drawing you into Mary’s world, and making you question right, wrong, and everything in between.

I don’t read a lot of fantasy, but one thing I’ve really enjoyed about reading 2017 debut books is getting the chance to read a wider variety of books than I normally would pick up myself. I signed up early for an ARC of THE WINGSNATCHER’S: CARMER AND GRIT by Sarah Jean Horwitz because it just sounded so fun. I was not disappointed.

A middle grade fantasy, THE WINGSNATCHERS is my very first steampunk novel – and I have to admit that I might be hooked. I simply loved the setting. And I adored Carmer and Grit and the rest of the cast – including the bad guys. It was fun to live in the land of Skemantis for a few days. To watch magic shows, and automata creatures, and to fly (and run) with the faeries.

It even made me want to consider trying to write a fantasy novel at some point, which is my measure of a really good book.

Such a fun book. THE WINGSNATCHERS #1 is a charming adventure fantasy with two great main characters – Carmer, a well intentioned magician’s apprentice and inventor, and Grit, a fiercely independent faerie princess. Full of humor, heart, and tons of action, THE WINGSNATCHERS pulls you into its fully rendered steampunk environment full of magic, fairy dust, masked villains, and truly frightening automated cats and doesn’t let you go. A great mix of magic, fantasy, and science, THE WINGSNATCHERS series is sure to be a favorite among fantasy and steampunk lovers – young and old.

A diverse main character that may lead to discussion about living with/adapting to injuries and disabilities and how to best be an ally and friend.

THE WINGSNATCHERS releases April 25, 2017 (the same day as my novel. Yay launch twins). You can pre-order it now or add it to your Goodreads to help you remember to pick it up as soon as it comes out. That way I can have company as I wait impatiently for the sequel 🙂

I love historical novels. Always have. Historical fiction is what sparked my interest in history. It’s what led me to the library to learn more about the people and events that have shaped our world when I was a kid, and it’s what help me decide on my minor in college when I was an adult. Best of all, it was my love for history that inspired my own 2017 debut, THE TRAGICALLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF KIT DONOVAN.

Which is why I was so excited to see another 2017 debut historical on the ARC list. I’ve wanted to read Caroline Leech’s YA novel WAIT FOR ME since I first read the summary. There’s just something about being transported to another time and another place that gives you a fresh perspective. WAIT FOR ME’s beautiful Scottish setting and characters did just that.

A touching war story – well told. Caroline Leech’s WWII romance, WAIT FOR ME, is filled with angst and empathy as enemies become friends – and fall in love – even as they are forced to face their own fears, prejudices, losses, and desires. Romance lovers will appreciate the slow burn of forbidden first love, while history lovers will be drawn to the detailed depictions of time and place and the unique setting. And everyone will love the characters – from Lorna’s pluck to Nikki’s cheerful desperation, from Jock’s quiet strength to Paul’s tragic kindness.

WAIT FOR ME is a strong debut. The author, Caroline Leech, has an eye for romance, and and an elegant hand with detail – and suspense. A great YA read.

Mary Lambert’s middle grade debut FAMILY GAME NIGHT AND OTHER CATASTROPHES did exactly that.

I simply couldn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting – unable to drag myself away. It’s a book that makes you long for a magical fix – even as you know that such a thing is impossible. And it doesn’t take the easy way out. There are no solid answers – just the sense that this family will continue on – sorting out the beautiful mess of their lives together.

This book is everything I love about middle grade novels. Perfect voice. A cast of well-rounded, interesting characters. True-to-life friendships and family relationships. And, best of all, it doesn’t take the easy way out – but manages to leave you with hope just the same. Mary Lambert’s debut it a triumph – mixing real pain with just the right amount of humor to give the reader a heartfelt look into a family trying desperately to grow and change – while struggling to keep themselves and each other together in the process.